The Image staff muses on the culture of keeping up appearances

Bearded & Tschorn: A Movember battle of the media mustaches?

November 3, 2009 | 3:00
pm

If the guys in your office are starting to look a bit like they've got a sprinkling of black pepper on their upper lip, chances are they're participating in Movember, a month-long charity mustache cultivation ("mo" is Australian slang for mustache) to raise awareness and funds for men's health issues -- specifically prostate and testicular cancer.

After writing about the Movember Foundation for last Sunday's Image section, I decided to get my own 'stache on for a good cause, coming up with a cool name (Media 'Stache) and trying to wheedle/cajole/beg and shame my compatriots here in The Times building to join me.

Despite a whole lot of verbal promises and bobbing of heads, to date the team of those supporting my cause consists of me, my father-in-law, my sister-in-law, and an awkward silence.

To make matters worse, as I was getting ready to leave the house Monday morning, KNBC's "Today in LA" weekday co-anchor Chris Schauble announced he’d gotten special dispensation from management to grow his mo – which at that point wasn't even visible to the naked eye.

This morning, as I awoke with what looks like coffee grounds affixed to my upper lip, Stubble - I mean Schauble -- seemed to be sporting a more definite line of hair right there. I don't know if he's tending it with "Miracle Mo" or what but I have to give the man props, since his team and donations page seem to be growing as rapidly as his mustache, and currently stands at four times the size of mine member-wise with donations at just over three times the dollar amount.

Did I mention the man has gone all mustache multimedia, too? He's also ginning up support via Twitter.

But it's still early in the month, and I'm not going down without a fight. Call me crazy, but I think there's a chance Media 'Stache can best the Mocasters, if not in donations to charity, at least in sheer numbers of supporters.

I think it's a fair matchup; he's a triathlete, marathon runner and the father of two sets of twin girls, and I'm a lazy couch potato who can drink St Pauli Girls until I see double.

So to you, Chris Schauble, I throw down the mustache comb of challenge. Care to wager?

To the rest of you, don't let me grow it alone.

-- Adam Tschorn

Photos: At top, a mustachioed file photo of "Today in LA" co-anchor Chris Schauble. Photo credit: KNBC. At bottom, a file photo of Times staff writer Adam Tschorn. Photo credit: Adam Tschorn / Los Angeles Times. Both began November clean shaven and are growing their mustaches for the next month to raise funds and awareness in the fight against prostate and testicular cancer.